Nothing But The Truth
by perspective21
Summary: Rachel stumbles across a painful revelation. But a kind of good one. Love, after all, is never easy. Rachel/Finn or Rachel/Brody? Read to find out!


**A/N: **I'm not normally a Finchel shipper (more of a Puckleberry fan) but I've become convinced that Rachel and Finn belong together. While I appreciate other Puck/Rachel themed fics, I just don't believe they should be with anyone else in the TV series. Screw Brody. Just screw him. Anyway this is something I thought up in about 30mins and had to get out there. Enjoy!

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"Nothing but the Truth"

Rachel Barbara Berry was dramatic, obnoxiously determined, thoroughly prepared, but sometimes a bit naïve. She knew everything about show choir, Broadway, and how to become a star, but she knew next to nothing about people and relationships.

This truth she was dimly aware of but often chose to ignore. It was probably her biggest fault. Being raised as a talented, show-stopping only child could understandably make it difficult for her to connect with others. Her ambition to them seemed freakishly weird and also made her appear a bit snobby and arrogant.

But Rachel _wanted_ to form friendships and fall in love. After all, being an actress was chiefly about pulling from one's own emotional repertoire. And playing a role was about appealing to the audiences.

Still more than that, life was about companionship and it was something she longed for.

Her high school Glee club was able to help enormously. While she began with a rocky start (bossing around others, insulting their underdeveloped sense of pitch and tone, and demanding every solo and starring role), developing tentative friendships enabled her to understand the value of team work and other talents a part from her own.

But there was no one Rachel Berry learned more from than the awkwardly tall, awkwardly broad Finn Hudson. She firmly believed that beside every leading lady was a leading man. And although she didn't need one to help her shine, Finn Hudson became the boy who finally, finally noticed her shine. He was the first one who ever believed in her and she knew in her heart that he would be the last.

It was a love she felt only existed in movies or on the stage, yet it was hers and she had promised that she would never let it go. But as time passed and the future loomed, love it seemed had other plans. Plans that they learned to accept graciously and respectfully.

But even though her love for the boyish high school hero had settled into the shadows—still present, still alive—something was not right. Rachel believed that there was a time and place for things. One should be patient but resilient. One should know when to let go. Love existed in cycles. Like classic Broadway productions had a grand running but eventually were replaced with newer shows. If they were great enough, they would return. They would. And love, even great love, would eventually pass away to be born into a new love somewhere else.

This is how she imagined it. Finn had let her go, and she him, because it was time. Time for the next stage in their lives. And though it hurt, he was moving on. Discovering his dream, finding his passion… maybe learning to appreciate the sparkle of another girl. She was moving on. Making a name for herself at NYADA, exploring the New York Rachel Berry, getting to know Brody… someone like her. She was moving on. Wasn't she? And though it still hurt sometimes, it didn't hurt as much. Right?

But Rachel was naïve and despite the great personal growth she developed during her time in Glee, she sometimes still had trouble understanding people and relationships. Sometimes she mistook attention and admiration for love. And sometimes she thought that love was about finding someone who was exactly like herself.

She was still learning, to be fair. And as she turned the key slowly in the lock and attempted to discreetly push open the door, an anxious feeling heaved in her stomach. Instead of the quiet entrance she was hoping for, the door screeched loudly and she slipped through quickly, wincing as she pushed it shut. Her heart was beating furiously and she tried, with some difficulty, to calm herself by taking deep, forceful breaths.

Kurt turned from the fridge to greet her.

"And where were you all night, Ms. Berry? Spending some one-on-one time with a certain NYADA stud—What's wrong?" He stopped abruptly and walked a few steps toward her.

Rachel turned her head in his direction, her eyes gathering moisture as she glanced almost shamefully up at him.

She didn't understand. Everything had seemed so clear last night and the past few months. It was as if she could live freely and unburdened. There was an intense pounding in her head and the memories from last night seemed strange and murky. It was all so surreal. It was… not quite what she had been expecting.

"I slept with Brody."

The hoarse whisper made Kurt lower his brows in confusion.

"That bad, huh?" He asked sympathetically while attempting a joke.

The question, however, was enough to break the tide of emotions Rachel had been trying to keep at bay. It was enough to force her to recognize the gut-wrenching truth she had been stubbornly ignoring, the truth that had lived patiently in the shadows for all this time.

She burst into sobs and fled to her makeshift bedroom. Throwing herself down onto her bed, she pulled her knees up to her chest and cried painfully as Kurt stood stunned and speechless in the kitchen.

She remembered his smile—the gentle, comforting, and encouraging lift of his lips. His eyes that followed her warmly and stared intimately and faithfully into hers. How he held her when she felt like she wasn't good enough. And held her when she felt she was. His first confession of love that left her breathless and made her feel magical and wanted and finally, finally understood. How he spoke to her. Like she was his lifeline, his best friend, his only true companion. And the first kiss. The last kiss. Every kiss—the soft pressure of his lips on hers moving tentatively but purposefully, soaking and drinking each other in. Her very own star, Finn Hudson.

As the sobs continued to pour, Kurt wrapped his arms around her shaking body and lightly rested his chin on top of her head.

"He'll always love you, Rachel, no matter what."

And she him.

**-Fin-**

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**A/N: **Thanks for amusing me, review if you can. :)


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